An ad that was intended to help the Democrat Michigan Senate nominee has now been rocking that race for days due to the backlash.
The ad depicted a couple in a grocery store blaming prices for things like bananas and eggs on Israel. Then at the end, it said the Republican candidate was for "they/them," with a picture of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and a couple of Israeli officials, followed by "Abdul El-Sayed is for you."
The ad was put out by Rebellion PAC, which was co-founded by Cenk Uygur, Hasan Piker's uncle. The El-Sayed team has distanced themselves from it, saying they were not affiliated with it, but they have not denounced it.
Even on CNN, you saw the ad being nuked. Both sides of the aisle blasted it, including Democrat political commentator Van Jones and Republican commentator and Salem radio host Scott Jennings.
— West (@StrayedWest) October 27, 2026
Even host Michael Smerconish said he couldn't believe someone on the left would put it out because it was so unhelpful to El-Sayed, in his opinion. As Jennings noted, El-Sayed already had issues from his own statements that have Jewish voters concerned.
But Uygur then continued, having a meltdown over the reaction on CNN to the ad, calling it defamation and appearing to ask for time on their air to keep talking more about it.
This is clearly defamatory. Is it @CNN policy to viciously smear someone and not allow them a defense? Do I get to say my piece on your air to counter this defamation or are you giving up any pretenses of objectivity?
— Cenk Uygur (@cenkuygur) October 27, 2026
Um, Cenk? You get to air it, and they get to comment on it. That's the way it works.
Cenk was clearly living in a bubble regarding how people were taking the ad.
Perfect example of the media filter. Everyone online loves the ad, it’s gotten millions of views and wonderful accolades. Radical Zionists are the only ones objecting. And national media spins that as “avalanche of criticism” because only people they know are radical Zionists.
— Cenk Uygur (@cenkuygur) October 27, 2026
Perfect example of the media filter. Everyone online loves the ad, it’s gotten millions of views and wonderful accolades. Radical Zionists are the only ones objecting. And national media spins that as “avalanche of criticism” because only people they know are radical Zionists.
Yeah, no. How off the rails is that? No, it isn't just "radical Zionists" who have an issue with the ad. I don't think Van Jones qualifies as a "radical Zionist." It wasn't just about "aid," but also how the ad presented it.
But please, keep it up, Cenk; go on CNN so people see what there is on the left, so they can see again what they should be voting against. He clearly isn't getting that he isn't helping El-Sayed with this.